


(and all our friends want us) to fall in love

by joshriku



Category: Kingdom Hearts, Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Humor, M/M, Oblivious Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Pining, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:53:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21967390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joshriku/pseuds/joshriku
Summary: Running a death game that routinely snuffs out the last-ditch hopes of adolescents? Easy peasy.Trying to get a silver-haired idiot to notice you like him more than a friend? Hardest thing on earth.Riku is just a little too dense sometimes.
Relationships: Kiryu "Joshua" Yoshiya/Riku (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 39





	(and all our friends want us) to fall in love

**Author's Note:**

> i didnt get presents irl so i opened my drive full of unpublished joshriku and decided to extend one as a gift :} tis the season to write stupid boys and not care for canon, as usual. its every season. thank u ven for the summary. and the title is a panic at the disco song I Think.....

“Man, you’re whipped.”

Riku turns around his head at Neku’s voice. He blinks slowly, like he’s coming out of a trance, and asks: “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… Maybe the fact that your eyes literally have stars on your eyes staring at Josh? Just a thought,” Neku gives him a lopsided smile. “If you stare a bit harder everyone is going to notice.”

Riku scratches his cheek, immediately staring down and laughing, nervousness pouring all over. He didn’t realize he was staring so much. It’s a little loud, of course it is - it’s a Tin Pin tournament. Still, Riku gets closer to Neku to make sure no one eavesdrops.

“Sorry,” Riku apologizes, although he’s not quite sure why. “He’s really happy.”

And he is. It’s been funny, staring at Joshua play. His curls bounce up and move as much as he does, his eyes glinting with the competitive side of him growing, and every smug smile he gets after defeating yet another kid. Riku has lost count how many times he’s been smug about winning, but for some reason, even _that_ comes off as endearing.

“You guys are gross,” Neku rolls his eyes. “I’m really mad you’re not dating right now.”

Riku chokes a little at the mention of dating. “I don’t think he’d be interested in that.”

Neku frowns. “Are you kidding me.”

It doesn’t sound like a question. Riku shrugs.

“Oh my gosh, you gotta be kidding me.” Neku rubs his temples like Riku is about to break his head in half. Riku can’t say he doesn’t find it funny. “You should be able to put two and two together. Josh is all over you.”

“He’s all over everyone.”

“...Fair,” Neku makes a face. The ‘yeah, can’t argue with that’ face. “But not the way he is over you. You’re basically all he talks about. It’s sickeningly sweet in his own Joshua way.”

Riku is not very sure what to do with this information. He doubts the credibility of it, anyway - he’s pretty sure there is not much to talk about when it comes to him. Riku is just a Keyblade Master, and that’s about it.

He decides to just sit next to Neku while they both wait for Joshua and Shiki to be done playing Tin Pin. Neku lost on the third round and has been sulking about it for the past hour, and Riku…

He’s only here because Joshua dragged him. He’s not complaining, though: Joshua comes back with the biggest grin.

“You shouldn’t be so happy about beating thirteen-year-olds,” Neku says.

Joshua laughs. “Somebody’s jealous they didn’t win.” He moves his head to look at Riku, and he smirks. “Did I do a good job?”

Honestly, Riku has no idea what is going on in that game. He’s tried, really. There is a lot happening, and Joshua is really pretty when he explains, so.

“You did,” Riku says, smiling back. He doesn’t mean to be so… _whipped_ , as Neku would put it, but he can’t help it. “I’m proud of you.”

Joshua’s smirk widens even more, and that makes Shiki sigh. “Great. Now he won’t shut up about this for a week.”

“Ah, you know me so well,” Joshua moves over to Riku’s side. “It’s been great, but I don’t hang out with losers.”

“Riku didn’t even play!” Shiki protests, “You just don’t wanna be with us!”

Joshua shrugs. “Maybe so.”

Shiki hits him on his shoulder. Joshua hisses, Neku laughs, and Riku can’t help but laugh along.

Neku tugs at Shiki’s arm, “We should let the lovebirds be.”

“Oh - you’re right! How did I not realize!” Shiki smiles brightly now, like she wasn’t about to murder Joshua a few seconds ago. “See you guys! Have fun on your date!”

“It’s not -” Riku begins weakly, but they’re already out of sight.

Joshua looks up to him, eyes a little big, wondering. “It’s not a date? Aw, Riku. You got my hopes up!”

“Ah, I -” Riku stammers, because. What? “I - Sorry. I did?”

“I was expecting a ramen date after this,” Joshua sighs. “Guess we can’t have it all.”

“No, no, _no,_ wait,” Riku is one step away from panicking. “I do want. A date. If you want to have one?”

“Oooh, I’d _love_ one,” Joshua perks up again, so Riku can’t complain. Is this _really_ a date, though? He has a feeling Joshua was kind of joking, but now he’d feel bad if he said no. “As I said: _really_ craving some ramen right now. Come on, my treat.”

“No, I want to-”

“Riku.” He puts a hand on his arm and of course that immobilizes him forever. “I just beat some thirteen-year-olds on their own game. This is some money I’d _love_ to use.”

“Okay, then. Good. Are you really that happy about beating kids?”

“Yeah. Thirteen-year-olds are the _worst_. This is a good thing.”

Joshua doesn’t really move his hand from his arm. If anything, it encourages him to do more - he links his arm with Riku’s like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Riku doesn’t know what to say, but he’s not complaining either.

He’s wanted this for a while now, so might as well enjoy it. Maybe next time he visits, Joshua won’t be in such a playful mood.

“Oh, you have a boyfriend now?” Ken asks Joshua as soon as he walks in.

Riku goes red. “He’s not-”

“Why yes, I do!” Joshua exclaims brightly. “Don’t tell me you might happen to have a special combo price for new couples!”

“I-”

Ken smiles. “No, but for you we _do_! We can serve you six plates if you wish.”

“ _Six?_ ” Riku chokes. To be honest, Ramen Don _was_ one of his favorite things from Shibuya. Six plates didn’t sound bad. He could lie along with Joshua.

“Only the best for our best customer.”

“Aw, Ken,” Joshua puts his hand on his chest. “I’m flattered. I’ll be at my usual table.”

They both sit down. Riku is a little nervous now. He _hopes_ Joshua can’t see how genuinely whipped he is.

“Six plates, huh,” Riku starts. “I don’t think I’ll be able to eat ever again.”

Joshua smiles. “Me too. But that’s the best part - food is meant to be enjoyed with people you like.”

“Good,” This is nice. Riku doesn’t feel overly exposed yet. “We should bring the rest of the gang next time.”

Riku could swear Joshua’s eye twitched for a second. He must’ve imagined it, though.

“Good plan,” Joshua says. “Anyways…”

He latches onto another topic immediately, really weird, because usually he likes talking about the gang. Riku listens nonetheless, always fully immersed in whatever Joshua has to say.

The plates finally arrive.

“We hope your love lasts for a long time,” Ken says, setting them on the table. “Please enjoy!”

Riku hides his face as Joshua starts laughing. “Aw, Riku, are you _shy_?”

“Am not.”

“Take off your hands from your face.”

“No.”

Joshua giggles. Riku refuses to face him. How could he just — he was so _calm_. He’d never understand Riku’s one-sided, panicked crush.

“Your food will get cold and then I’ll eat it.”

“Okay,” Riku puts his hands down, hesitantly. He couldn’t risk his ramen. Joshua is staring at him with a funny look once he finally stares back. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Joshua says, still looking suspicious. “Let’s eat.”

Later, when he’s back at Destiny Islands and ready for bed, Riku finally sees why Joshua was staring at him funnily.

His latest post in Kingstagram says, “Boyfriend is being cute,” with a heart-eyes emoji. It's a pic of Riku covering his face at Ramen Don.

Riku screams, but internally.

He puts his phone down, rolling around, and takes a deep breath. _Boyfriend_?

Ken probably followed Joshua in there. And Joshua was just promoting Ramen Don. Makes sense.

Still, Riku’s heart is a little too wild when he types, “ _delete this!!!_ ”

Joshua only likes his comment and does nothing more.

**♡**

There is such a loud banging on Riku’s door that his first instinct is to summon his Keyblade and hold it up at whoever opens the door. Blinking, two red blobs start forming in front of him.

“Is that how you greet your parents when _they_ knock?” Kairi deadpans. Lea stands behind her, chuckling. “Good morning. What does that mean?”

“What does _what_ mean?”

Lea puts his phone in front of him and Riku has to squint to see what’s on the screen. When it finally clicks, he looks up to Lea, horrified. “Why do you follow Joshua?”

“Why not?” Lea shrugs. “He showed up in my recommended. Why, you want to keep your _boyfriend_ a secret?”

“He’s not—” Kairi and Lea _both_ glare at him, like daring him to disagree with the picture. “It’s obviously a fake post. We were eating there and he told the chef we were a couple to get a discount.”

Kairi raises an eyebrow. “That… sounds like a lie.”

“No, see?” Riku grabs her phone and shows her the location. “He’s just promoting it.”

“Prove it, then,” Lea points at Riku’s phone lying on the table. “Call him right now and prove it to us that you’re not hiding a boyfriend.”

“ _Why_ do you guys suddenly care?” Riku grabs his phone anyway. “You don’t even know Joshua.”

“Exactly!” Kairi moves her hands around, “You’re my best friend! And you’re dating someone! And I don’t even know the guy! Isn’t that so insulting?!”

“I’m here because it’s all Kairi talks about,” Lea shrugs. Kairi elbows him. “And you’re my friend and I want to see you succeed in relationships.”

Riku is touched somehow, that his friends care enough to make sure he’s dating someone nice. He’d be more touched if he was _actually_ dating Joshua, though. Sighing, he looks at the hour before calling—8:30AM. It’s night time in Shibuya by now, so hopefully, he doesn’t interrupt Joshua’s dinner or something.

His hands are sweating as he presses call, Kairi and Lea hovering over him.

Joshua picks up immediately, his face popping up on Riku’s screen with a light smile. “ _Hey, dear._ ”

Of all days he could’ve called Riku that, why today?

“Josh,” and he can’t help it—he seems to slip into automatic fondness whenever Joshua is involved. “Sorry for calling out of nowhere.”

“ _That’s okay. Loving the ‘just woke up’ look. Care to introduce me to your guests?_ ”

He angles the phone towards his two friends, who greet and introduce themselves. “They wanted me to call you to confirm we aren’t dating.”

“Yeah! We saw your post!” Kairi holds up her phone as evidence. “If you want to date Riku, you have to meet me first!”

“No, he _doesn’t_ —”

Joshua interrupts them with a short laugh. “ _I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately, Riku and I are not dating._ ”

Ouch.

It hurt to hear it out loud, even though they _really_ aren’t dating.

Lea says, “You sound very disappointed about it.”

“ _Haven’t you seen Riku?_ ” Joshua says in his own Joshua way, “ _It’s a shame for everyone that they’re not dating him_.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” because now Joshua is just embarrassing him and he deals with that plenty when they’re together. “Thanks, Josh.”

“ _Anytime, darling. Are you free to come over soon?_ ”

“I’ll try to clear my schedule,” he smiles. “Promise to not keep you waiting.”

“ _I’ll hold you to that_ . _Now, I’ve got stuff to tend to, so if you’ll excuse me..._ ”

“Bye, Josh. Thank you.”

He hangs up and turns around to find Kairi and Lea staring at him skeptically. “What now?”

“I don’t buy it,” Kairi says.

“Yeah. You’re totally dating him.”

“But he just said—”

“That’s not what we heard,” Lea continues. “Bring him over sometime, okay? We’ll give him a pep-talk.”

“I am… _not_ doing that.”

“But why? You’re totally in love with him.”

Okay, he is not in love, but did Kairi have to be so blunt about it? Riku is flustered without being able to reply for a few seconds, so Kairi adds, “Wait, are you really?!”

“Not! ...Yet?” Riku shrugs. “I _do_ like him.”

“And he likes you back,” Lea says, “so come down for breakfast now. Your mom cooked for us ages ago.”

This is too much of a weird morning, so he goes along with it and tries to not think about ‘ _he likes you back_ ’.

Riku would notice if he did, wouldn’t he?

  
  
  
  


“You’re not actually dating Joshua?” Sora looks like someone told him Santa Claus isn’t real, again. And it’s Riku who did it, again. “Aw, man. I was so happy for you guys!”

“ _What_? What could’ve possibly given _you_ that impression?”

“Well, you guys seem to care for each other a lot,” Sora puts his arms behind his neck, “and you’re visiting Shibuya every time you can—yet you never talk about Neku and his friends.”

“I—well…”

“So you’re just seeing Joshua every time you go there,” Sora finishes. “I think it’s wonderful. You gotta follow what makes your heart happy, and if that’s with Joshua, then so be it—”

“Wow, wow, hang on! You’re getting too ahead!” Riku laughs despite it. His best friend’s enthusiasm rubbed off easily. “I appreciate it, but nothing is happening with us.”

“Aww,” Sora is back to looking disappointed. “Shucks.”

**♡**

**When are you coming back?**

**Been too long since you visited Shibuya.**

**My bed misses you.**

**It’s been like a week, Josh.**

**And I sleep on your sofa bed?**

**Been. too. long.**

**And you know - we can upgrade the sofa bed to my bed. :)**

Riku has no idea what to do, or say, other than scream. What does this _mean_.

  
  


**Anyways**

**Rude.**

**I’m free this weekend**

**Can I stay over again?**

**Always.**

**Wanna watch some movies?**

**Sure!**

**We can always start more shows too.**

**Sounds like a date. :)**

**See you soon!**

For Riku’s sake, Joshua needed to stop using the word _date_ so freely. He’s not very fond of false hope at _all_.

But well. At least he’ll get to be with Joshua.

**♡**

"Aw, Riku," Shiki pats him on his arm. It's one of the few times he meets someone from the gang before he meets Joshua - usually, it's the other way around. "Congrats on finally making it official with Joshua!"

"Ah, that post?" Riku laughs, nervous. "No, you got the wrong idea. We're not dating. He wanted a discount from the place."

Shiki looks at him, odd. "You can't be serious."

"I am, he--"

"Not about that. Do you seriously not see it? Joshua took you to _eat._ He doesn't even show up to our gatherings if we invite him! He only does like, once a month," Shiki is gesticulating a lot. Riku briefly thinks about how well she'd get along with Kairi. "And! You're the only person he's ever featured on his posts! He _avoids_ our group photos like the plague."

Riku swallows. "I thought they were normal things to do…"

"Not if it's Joshua," she shakes her head. "So either you or him gotta get it together and talk about this or help me God I'll do it myself."

That was quite terrifying. Riku saves the replies about how there's no way it could happen or how he's not willing to risk his friendship with Joshua because he knows Shiki won't like _that._

Instead, he nods, "Yes, okay. I'll do that tonight."

But once he sees Joshua, all pretty and wonderful as usual - he can't do it. He can't risk losing this.

**♡**

It’s been a long weekend. Boundaries are boundaries, Riku thinks, and if Joshua keeps acting like they’re dating he’s _going_ to lose it. _Especially_ if he kept this up when they weren't even in front of anybody.

“Josh,” he says, untangling his arm from Joshua. “We need to talk.”

“Oh?” Joshua looks up. “Oh. You’re serious. What’s wrong?”

“I…” Riku licks his lips. “I appreciate you using us to get discounts and show off, but I think it’s unfair as I _really_ like you. In a non-friend way.”

Joshua blinks.

“You like me?”

“Yes.”

“But you think I’m just joking?”

“...Are you not?” Riku asks, cautiously.

“Gosh," Joshua sighs. “Was I not gay enough?”

“What-”

“There was _nothing_ platonic about anything,” Joshua says. “If I said you’re my boyfriend and acted like that…”

He drifts off a bit.

“Yes?”

“Then maybe I _did_ want you to be my boyfriend,” he finishes. “Ever thought about that?”

“What?” Riku doesn’t mean to sound so shocked. “You?”

Joshua has the audacity to giggle.

“Not funny,” Riku says.

“Aw, come on,” Joshua grabs his arm. “I _just_ said I want you to be my boyfriend. What part of that wasn’t real?”

That’s a lot to process.

“Not joking?”

“Not joking.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, Riku, seriously.”

Riku blinks.

“This is a lot.”

“Need a second?”

“Don’t sound so smug, Josh.”

Joshua sets comfortably on the sofa bed, this time dragging Riku down and using his arm as a pillow. “While you do that, I’ll keep watching TV.”

  
  


Around twenty minutes later, Riku looks down to Joshua, who’s still using his arm as a pillow.

He gently tilts Joshua’s chin up and kisses him.

He parts quickly, and Joshua is as wide-eyed as he can be. This is the first time Riku’s seen him so disconcerted.

“I…” Joshua blinks. “Hey. Wow. I…”

“That’s for not making your intentions clear.”

“I - I _made_ my intentions _clear as day_ -”

Riku kisses him again.

“You can’t shut me up like that.”

“I can. I _will_.”

Not that either of them complained.

**♡**

Sleepy-headed Joshua makes his way into Riku’s kingstagram posts.

“Boyfriend is being cute,” he writes, with the heart eyes emoji added.

**Sora** GUYS RIKU POSTED IT THAT MEANS THEY’RE DATING FOR REAL

 **Sora** GUYS I TOLD YOU AND NO ONE BELIEVED ME

 **Kairi** literally everyone believed it already

 **Kairi** you’re the only one genuinely shocked

 **Joshua** WHY ARE YOU POSTING ME LIKE THIS I LOOK UGLY DELETE IT

Out of spite, Riku likes the comment and leaves the photo up.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading if u did :] i like to think joshua does the bare minimum for riku (like buy him a drink or literally just hold the door open for him) but riku is like. unaware. but everyone who knows joshua kinda has a meltdown abt it. thats my fav headcanon so far. 
> 
> NYWAY merry christmas to whoever stumbles upon this :] i hav a twitter @joshriku n a tumblr @joshrikus ... i am dedicated to my cause


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